tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-341265722014-10-06T19:30:21.111-05:00Anyway GamesAaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.comBlogger650125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-89497089226255644002012-03-20T08:41:00.001-05:002012-03-20T08:41:40.256-05:00Dynamic vs static customization<i>Mass Effect 3</i> multiplayer demonstrates how important quality is to customization.<br /><br />It's not enough for the player to have choices. If only a few choices are appealing to the typical player, then you have enabled the player to choose a particular playstyle but have not improved replayability. If the player does not alternate between a variety of options, but rather sticks to one or two playsets, then the game is less dynamic and less perpetually exciting for that player.<br /><br />In <i>ME3</i> multiplayer, I am constantly rediscovering classes and weapons. Returning to a previous choice after playing with other choices makes that option feel fresh and even surprising.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-50642894291132887372012-02-06T19:40:00.001-06:002012-02-06T19:40:15.623-06:00AI and predictabilityI played the Syndicate demo again. My character is level 7 now. I have probably played that same mission seven or eight times now.<br /><br />What strikes me is how important the AI is to the replayability. I see players using the same weapons and skills, yet the battle is a little different every time. <br /><br />In the movie <i>The Ghost and the Darkness</i> , one character tells another, "They've got a saying in prize fighting: Everyone's got a plan until they've been hit." <br /><br />Good, dynamic AI forces players to adapt every time. It provides just enough predictability to enable strategy, but it doesn't let players anticipate everything.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-23515314187050674502011-09-06T10:54:00.000-05:002011-09-06T10:54:55.376-05:00memory markersDynamics make a game feel longer.<br /><br />I realized this after reading an article about <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201004/why-time-goes-faster-you-get-older">"Why Times Goes Faster as You Get Older."</a> The article's point is basically that new or unique experiences act as markers in one's reflection on one's history as a whole. The older a person gets, the more routine his or her life is likely to become. By seeking out new and bold experiences, we can slow our lives down... at least in perception.<br /><br />Likewise, unique and memorable experiences act as markers in a player's reflection. If you want players to feel like they have gotten their money's worth, dynamics can help create an impression of a grander adventure.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-13275875050392354502011-08-25T14:56:00.004-05:002011-08-25T14:59:25.770-05:00Kinect bar gamesMicrosoft could sell a lot of console-Kinect bundles by creating a good collection of bar games which involve shouting.
<br />Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-83975158331140509982011-08-24T15:20:00.004-05:002011-08-24T15:30:54.534-05:00NPCs as geographical indicatorsMaps are great when designed well, but landmarks also help.
<br />
<br />While roaming alleys in <span style="font-style: italic;">Deus Ex</span>, I realized that I was using particular NPCs like landmarks to tell me which direction to go.
<br />
<br />I was able to do so because the NPCs were various and unique. One had wild red-dyed hair. Another had a green mohawk.
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<br />If your NPCs are going to be just standing around anyway, why not make them useful in this way?
<br />Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-3490308270827680582011-08-18T21:35:00.008-05:002011-08-18T21:47:44.319-05:00preorder bonus announcementsDear publishers,
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<br />If you're going to offer different preorder bonus content through different retailers, announce all of those offers simultaneously... or at least inform us that further offers are upcoming. Otherwise, you're ensuring that some customers will have to cancel one preorder to place another so they get the specific bonus content they want.
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<br />A choice is less of a choice if not all options are on the table when the decision is made.
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<br />If physicians take an oath to do no harm, salesman can at least try to avoid needlessly annoying their customers.
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<br />I'm looking at you, <a href="http://community.batmanarkhamcity.com/">Warner Brothers</a>.
<br />Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-73512284557000023812011-08-17T13:07:00.002-05:002011-08-17T13:08:29.484-05:00CGI could be more than advertisingCGI trailers are expensive to make. I get it. But so is the average live-action Hollywood film.
<br />
<br />So why haven't we seen Vivendi, EA or Ubisoft devote some of their CGI talents toward making full feature-length films? Surely, there's a market.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-70276484315031900532011-08-17T12:46:00.003-05:002011-08-17T12:49:03.172-05:00production team size vs pacingHow much of the growth in development team sizes is a result of scheduling pressure from publishers?
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<br />Just because four people can accomplish the same work in half the time as two people doesn't mean putting four people on the job is the most efficient use of human resources. Accepting just two people means accepting slower production, but those other two folks can be applied to a different game.
<br />
<br />Would publishers be better served by producing more games at a slower rate?
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<br />Bear in mind, this doesn't necessarily mean a barren publishing schedule. If average production takes four years instead of two, the publisher can still rely on regular releases by offsetting the various studios (Studio A's game releases in Spring 2010, Studio B's in Fall 2010, Studio C's in Spring 2011, etc).Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-25997235714569280762011-07-27T22:09:00.003-05:002011-07-27T22:11:30.090-05:00powerful doesn't mean solo<span style="font-style: italic;">Diablo 2</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Borderlands</span> have proven that it is not necessary to make classes difficult to solo to encourage grouping.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-51562531283967149492011-07-16T16:05:00.001-05:002011-07-16T16:08:43.737-05:00retutorialsIt has become almost mandatory to include a tutorial process at the beginning of any game. That's great. But how often are you only partially through a game when something distracts from it for weeks or even months?<br /><br />A tutorial at the beginning of a game's campaign isn't of much use then, because you don't want to start over. Explanatory videos are not much better than simply showing you a control map before dumping you into the action. A tutorial split into a series of active experiences can feel tedious, largely because after each one you're confronted with a list ("Four more to go..." /sigh).<br /><br />Games with complex control schemes might benefit from what I'll call a "retutorial" — a comprehensive hands-on experience, similar to the introductions of many campaigns, which can be played at any time.<br /><br />The main difference between an introduction and a retutorial should be a lack of emphasis on story, allowing the player to skip any assignment which covers something the player remembers. Give the player some control over the pace and content.<br /><br />Most big games ramp both the complexity of controls and the difficulty of encounters as the story progresses. Players shouldn't feel like they're jumping onto a speeding train when picking up where they left off.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-80483993223102842962011-06-08T14:10:00.001-05:002011-06-08T14:14:52.583-05:00E3 2011: Microsoft and NintendoI watched this year's E3 streamed by GameTrailers, so here are some impressions of the console presentations. I didn't catch much of Sony's, which is just as well since I have no experience with the PS3.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">IT'S THE GAMES, STUPID</span><br /><br />Microsoft reminded 360's core gamers why they like the console: deep, HD experiences and a wide variety of quality games. <span style="font-style: italic;">Skyrim, Arkham City, Mass Effect 3, Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Bioshock: Infinite, Gears of War 3, Saints Row: The Third, Far Cry 3 and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Rage, Driver: San Francisco, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Kingdoms of Amalur, Prey 2, Assassin's Creed: Revelations.</span>.. and on and on. The Xbox 360 delivers an impressive library of quality games.<br /><br />There are a ton of Wii owners, but they don't buy nearly as many games as 360 owners. Nintendo's best console was the original NES, and that's because of the games. Back then, Mario and Zelda were popular, but Nintendo didn't rely so exclusively on 1st-party games and established IPs. There were plenty of good games on the NES. With each successive Nintendo console, the number of quality games has diminished... particular the number of games designed with American and European aesthetics. I would be surprised if the typical American Wii owner has more than five games.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE WII U</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(such a terrible name)</span><br /><br />Nintendo announced that they will be bringing many popular Western titles in HD to the Wii U. It's great to see Nintendo finally embracing Western developers, but it's too late for this console cycle. Core gamers interested in deep, HD games have had five years or more to buy a system which suits their tastes. On the other side, the many Wii owners who don't consider themselves gamers and only use the console for social gatherings a few times per year will not be interested in shelling out hundreds of dollars for an HD system with complex controls for core games.<br /><br />Who is the Wii U's intended audience?<br /><br />It seems like a well-designed, innovative system which certainly opens opportunities for exciting new gameplay. But I strongly doubt it will be nearly as popular as the Wii because it won't attract many non-gamers as the Wii did, it will cost more, and to attract the majority of core gamers it must demonstrate gameplay significantly different from the 360 and PS3. The cross-console games Nintendo advertised at E3 for the Wii U were designed for traditional controllers, so Wii U adaptations will not be fundamental changes. Nintendo's new console needs games designed from the ground up for the new interface. That means the Wii U won't really wow gamers until a year or two after the console's release.<br /><br />And it sounds like the console won't be released until late 2012, anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft and Sony have announced new hardware by the time the Wii U really becomes significant competition.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">KINECT THE CORE</span><br /><br />Microsoft pushed Kinect hard this E3. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Rayman Rabbids</span> game, <span style="font-style: italic;">Disneyland, Kinect Sports 2 </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Dance Central 2</span> will appeal to the kids and women who form the heart of Kinect fans presently. But Microsoft also pushed to expand the Kinect audience with <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable: Journey</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ryse </span>and<span style="font-style: italic;"> Star Wars</span>.<br /><br />They have at least convinced core gamers that they are part of Kinect's intended audience. But developers have yet to prove that they can deliver great core Kinect games (which I'm sure they can). In <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable: Journey</span>, it seems clear that combat has been dumbed down and the adventure has been put on rails. Challenge and freedom take a backseat to confined toybox scenarios.<br /><br />Kinect has a ton of potential, but developers are still only beginning to figure it out.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">EMPIRE</span><br /><br />That brings me back to the Wii U. <a href="http://corvus.zakelro.com/">Corvus</a> made an excellent point the other day: Nintendo needs to open up to independent developers the way the way Microsoft has with Xbox Live.<br /><br />The industry's big publishers need to open their doors so that small developers can demonstrate how to achieve more with less. Let the little guys lead the way in bringing production costs down and exploring new styles of entertainment.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-22800998087050547162011-06-03T18:10:00.003-05:002011-06-03T18:29:44.526-05:00design trumps technologyHow long have I waited to hear <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2011-the-witcher/714681">these words</a> from a game developer?<br /><br />"...it's all about graphical design, artistic design and direction; not only about high-resolution textures and bump-mapping." --Tomasz Gop, Senior Producer on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Witcher 2</span><br /><br />I'm glad there are developers who push the limits of graphic technologies. It's thanks to them that we have the options presently available. But sometimes it seems too many developers fail to recognize that the tools and resources already commonly available enable greater results than are typically seen.<br /><br />Limits do not always affect creativity adversely. Restraint can be a catalyst for invention.<br /><br />It's like the evolution of console hardware. Every year, Xbox 360 developers make better use of the hardware than they did the year before. We need people to push the boundaries. But most are better served by exploring the untapped potential of what we already have.<br /><br />I'm a musician. After thousands of years of use, we're still finding ways to arrange the same <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale">12 notes</a> into exciting new forms of music.<br /><br />Beethoven's <span style="font-style: italic;">Moonlight Sonata</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Ode to Joy</span>, Michaelangelo's <span style="font-style: italic;">David</span>, Da Vinci's <span style="font-style: italic;">Mona Lisa</span> — countless works by their contemporaries are far more complex, yet far less popular. Complexity of design is meaningless to most audiences. It's the refined effect that matters. Simple designs can be powerful. It's like the beauty of a child's love: simple, uncomplicated, but Earth-moving.<br /><br />Art directors should focus on effect, not on tech. What can you achieve with last year's graphics capabilities?<br /><br />If you want a concrete example, look at <span style="font-style: italic;">World of Warcraft</span>.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-22263266113042545352011-05-31T12:50:00.004-05:002011-05-31T12:55:25.389-05:00less skill = more need of xp and rewardsIf I could change one thing in <span style="font-style: italic;">Black Ops</span>, I would attempt to better separate casual and hardcore gamers from each other. One way would be to offer them different contracts.<br /><br />The current system makes all contracts available to all players. Only the most skilled players even attempt the most difficult contracts which offer the best rewards. This is silly, because more skilled players have an easier time leveling up, anyway. They also tend to be achievement-oriented gamers (challenge junkies) who would be more tolerant of a slower pace of leveling. It's the less skilled players who most appreciate and need the bonus XP and CoD Points.<br /><br />So separate them. <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Black Ops</span> already allows players to sacrifice all progression for Prestige. Offer players interested in Prestige more difficult contracts. Make it so that the hardcore's "easy" contracts are similar to the casuals' "difficult" contracts.<br /><br />This would lessen the frustration of casual players by giving them contracts which are both within their ability and worth plenty of XP. More accessible contracts would provide more short-term enjoyment, and more XP would increase long-term enjoyment.<br /><br />Currently, too many CoD players are frustrated because they are lobbed in with players of vastly different skill levels.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-59430718593242951642011-05-30T15:31:00.004-05:002011-05-30T15:39:50.905-05:00Coaches vs CEOs<div id="container-167776" class="bd">Why do we expect coaches to acknowledge and respect the strengths of their competitors, but we don't expect the same of corporate CEOs?<br /><br />Here is Alabama football coach Nick Saban after defeating LSU. Notice how he praises his own team while simultaneously complimenting the opposing team.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j_2dkmAvvCo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Would anyone expect Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to praise each other's companies in a similar manner? Why not?<br /><br />Rather than ignore and belittle the innovations and quality of their competitors' services, corporate leaders should acknowledge excellence in other companies while aspiring to be the best.<br /><br />E3 is almost here. In the past, console representatives and game publishers have occasionally mocked their competitors. Let's hope they are not so petty this year.<br /><br />I hope to see quality products from all companies at E3. Competition is good for the entire industry.<br /></div>Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-247832914679767962011-03-22T14:38:00.001-05:002011-03-22T14:40:00.389-05:00Homefront mini-reviewRather than repeat what dozens of reviews have already said by trying to be comprehensive, here are some things about <span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span> that many reviews have missed.<br /><br />The maps aren't just big. They're square. By that I mean merely that they're not alleys like <span style="font-style: italic;">Bad Company 2</span>'s maps, with each team coming from a definite direction. In <span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span>, you can almost always be attacked from any direction. There are battles where the map is evenly split between factions, but matches more often involve a scattering of players... leading to more dynamic gameplay.<br /><br />Are snipers bothering you? Send out a scout drone to reveal his hiding spot to your entire team. If you're playing Ground Control with 32 players, it's often possible to sneak around and simply shoot that sniper in the back of the head.<br /><br />I generally enjoy <span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span> multiplayer, but I'm usually among the top players of a match and I realize that skews my view. So here's what I think multiplayer is like for lower-scoring players... and how the game helps such players.<br /><br />You have probably heard of the Battle Commander system which makes it more difficult for skilled players to keep killstreaks going (Battle Commander is a game mode — you can join matches without it). What's less often touted is the availability of 500 Battle Points to each player at the beginning of every match. That's enough points to buy a drone, a rocket launcher, or a flack jacket.<br /><br />Does your aim suck? Buy a rocket launcher. There are few things more satisfying than using a launcher to blow up someone's helicopter or tank (tanks require multiple hits). You start off with EMP grenades, so you can often "stun" vehicles long enough to aim your rocket carefully. If someone blows up a tank after you EMPed it, you get points for that.<br /><br />Or you can find yourself a nice bush to hide in while you guide a Wolverine battle drone. By level 6, you can also guide a scout drone and earn Battle Points by marking enemies for your teammates. By level 10, you can hop in a Humvee and run people over; or park it and press Y to quickly switch seats and mow someone down with the turret, if a buddy's not there to shoot for you.<br /><br />Even if you're out of Battle Points, you have the choice of spawning directly into an allied vehicle if somebody else bought one. Riding shotgun in a chopper or tank is lots of fun.<br /><br />I'm not going to lie to you. Sometimes, <span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span> multiplayer feels unfair. The Battle Point system means that momentum matters. Occasionally, a match ends with one team utterly dominating with multiple attack choppers and/or tanks. That can make it difficult to remain alive long enough even to see what's shooting you. There are also snipers who watch spawning points, but I've never seen them able to do this for long.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span> multiplayer gets my blood boiling at times. I generally enjoy it, though. I would describe the pace and feel as a happy medium between <span style="font-style: italic;">Modern Warfare</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Bad Company 2</span>…with more vehicles, more open maps and a flexible skill mod system.<br /><br />As for the singleplayer campaign, all I will say is that it is short, but probably not much shorter than a <span style="font-style: italic;">Modern Warfare</span> campaign if you removed all the times you had to respawn because of the greater difficulty. Unlike others, I didn't buy <span style="font-style: italic;">Homefront</span> for a John Milius story. I bought it to shoot stuff.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-8122077464193714372011-03-14T19:32:00.001-05:002011-03-14T19:36:11.204-05:00give players the scalesWhile playing <span style="font-style: italic;">Blur</span> the other day with a friend, we got to wondering what stats and behaviors the game tweaks to adjust difficulty. Then we thought, "Wouldn't it be great if games allowed players to mix and match the stats how we please?"<br /><br />For example, the settings which affect difficulty in <span style="font-style: italic;">Blur</span> (regardless of which the developers coded into the Easy, Medium and Hard options) include vehicle speed, vehicle durability, collision damage, powerup strength, powerup frequency, mod availability, and number of laps.<br /><br />Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it seems <span style="font-weight: bold;">a fairly simple system of checkboxes and sliders</span> (ala <span style="font-style: italic;">Oblivion</span>'s difficulty slider) <span style="font-weight: bold;">would enable players to tailor gameplay to exactly their preferences</span>.<br /><br />Some players would turn off collision damage. Some would create endurance races with many laps or quick one-lap competitions. Others might make powerups available but scarce.<br /><br />What's wrong with this scenario? I'm basically describing a detailed cheat mode... the sort that was extremely popular in <span style="font-style: italic;">Goldeneye 64</span>. Such options do not eliminate appreciation for the developers careful balancing. They simply add further ways to play the game<span style="font-weight: bold;"> at very little developer expense</span>.<br /><br />Almost any style of game can benefit from such options which exponentially expand gameplay customization. This feature would simultaneously open the game up to more playstyles (potential consumers) and encourage players to keep their games for replay (discouraging trade-ins).<br /><br />It's a no-brainer.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-498696998063585412011-03-10T14:20:00.001-06:002011-03-10T14:23:40.479-06:00information dumps are good marketingTypical game marketing involves revealing features months, if not years, before release and gradually sharing more information with potential players. This is a mistake because it allows people to form perceptions of the game based on incomplete information.<br /><br />Perceptions are not changed easily. I know we all like to think of ourselves as humble and open-minded, but we're not. Human beings invest pride in even our most trivial opinions. And we are often unwilling to sacrifice time and energy for the sake of clarity in matters we don't know much about.<br /><br />So if a potential buyer isn't hooked by the first advertisement he or she happens to see, that one ad might be the only sales pitch you're going to get. Some consumers might be interested enough to be open to further information, yes. But others will form an opinion immediately and ignore any future ad campaigns. Or they will form a mental summary through which all further information is filtered.<br /><br />It makes more sense to provide all information about the game immediately. Features can then be gradually highlighted and illuminated over the course of a campaign.<br /><br />Game design increasingly takes into account the variety of player personalities. Marketing should, too. Dumping all information in the beginning acknowledges that some potential players are not going to wait for a complete picture before writing the game off.<br /><br />Providing all features up front also gives fans the resources and confidence they need to pitch the game for you. Word-of-mouth is the most persuasive marketing short of hands-on experience.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-38044703189824977092011-03-08T12:21:00.001-06:002011-03-08T12:24:08.126-06:00"game industry" deprived of meaningAll the time, I read industry articles that pretend Facebook apps and games like <span style="font-style: italic;">Oblivion</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Modern Warfare 2</span> exist in the same industry.<br /><br />Television and film production might require similar skills and technologies, but they are different industries with different concerns. Revenues in one are not related to the other. Books and magazines both revolve around writers, but you don't hear book critics claiming that book publishers benefit from magazine sales.<br /><br />Sure, publishers like EA and Activision are involved in both apps and console games. But that General Electric makes both kitchen appliances and medical equipment doesn't unify those products within one industry.<br /><br />The sales of <span style="font-style: italic;">Angry Birds</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Plants vs Zombies</span> have no bearing on the sales of console RPGs and shooters. Let's acknowledge that in the way we discuss games as an industry (or two).Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-10978242226397819222010-11-02T14:12:00.011-05:002010-11-02T14:49:43.097-05:00Fable III errors (360)<span style="font-style: italic;">Fable III</span> is one of those rare games that I enjoyed despite a plethora of bugs and oversights. Lionhead has created a <a href="http://lionhead.com/fable/fableIII/issuereport.aspx">bug report page</a>. Here's a list of the problems I encountered, not all of which are bugs, in hope that a patch might improve the game.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BUGS</span></span><br /><br />Jasper quit talking to me halfway through the game. Thankfully, he exists more for comic relief than to progress the story. It's not an audio problem. There was no animation suggesting that Jasper was trying to speak to me. He simply stopped commenting in the sanctuary and did not say anything at the story's end (as I saw in a friend's game) either. In the sanctuary, I can press "A" to ask him to explain the room I'm in, and he will simply stare at me. If I walk up to him, he turns toward me. He just won't talk anymore. I've created a second character to see if this bug repeats.<br /><br />A couple times in combat, the option offered to me as Up on my D-pad was not my Slow Time potions but transportation to the Road to Rule. Twice, my combat was interrupted as I was transported there.<br /><br />The stats page was broken, last I checked. It showed "0" weapon upgrades (I had a fully upgraded hammer), only 8 quests completed (less than half of what I had done) and only 9 potions used (again, less than half of the real number).<br /><br />Graphical lag (as common in solo play as in co-op) is frequent and terrible. It happens at day and at night, in multiple zones. It happens while walking/running around, and apparently not (that I remember) during combat or in the sanctuary... but I might be wrong about that.<br /><br />In playing in another's game in co-op, my character doesn't animate while moving half the time. He's fine in combat, but stands still and glides while walking or running.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">OVERSIGHTS</span></span><br /><br />The "back" button is not used at all. Why not use every resource? Personally, I would like it to provide a shortcut to the quest list.<br /><br />The quest list does not keep my place when I use "B" to back out of a quest description. I have to scroll down past the story quests again to view the relationship quests I was looking at. A minor annoyance.<br /><br />There is no "Repair All" option for rented homes. This is a <span style="font-style: italic;">major</span> annoyance when the player owns many properties. What could take just a couple button presses is turned into a boring five-minute chore.<br /><br />There is no "Buy All" option at stores. So buying 10 health potions or 10 sacks of grain at a time requires twenty button presses instead of two.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-71173951567488680892010-10-05T14:32:00.003-05:002010-10-05T14:50:04.976-05:00FPS by degreesI won't name names, but I've recently played a few shooters with some friends and in every game outperformed them by leaps and bounds. In fact, in <span style="font-style: italic;">Modern Warfare 2</span>, my friends simply couldn't perform well enough to enjoy the game. While I was sniping this player and stabbing that one, my friends were dying and dying some more. At the end of a five-minute match, they had racked up only a few kills each, whereas I had twenty or thirty.<br /><br />My point is not that I'm that good. At times, other players mop the floor with me, and I'm not playing in the elite matches.<br /><br />No, my point is that a wide variety of gamers enjoy shooters, but their shorter histories with shooters, lesser skill and different playstyles are rarely acknowledged in gameplay design.<br /><br />I'm not asking for flag football here. But how about some more games that don't pretend everyone wants to be a pro? Some people just want to blow stuff up and shoot each other in the face.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-50902649497563165852010-10-03T12:31:00.006-05:002010-10-03T12:41:18.131-05:00used market helps the industryI'm sure there are more than a few reasons the used games market is good, but there's one in particular I want to point out. The used market encourages quality.<br /><br />The games you're least likely to find used are the games of highest and longest-lasting quality. If a game is fun, polished, dynamic and offers lasting value through replayability or the sheer scope of experience, then most buyers will hold onto their copies.<br /><br />The games most often found used are the ones that are mediocre, short, redundant, buggy, etc.<br /><br />I like the industry's trend toward DLC and exclusive content for new copies. But I hope used game sales stick around for decades to come, because that market encourages developers to aim higher than they might otherwise have to.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-55939508954068323122010-09-07T15:00:00.001-05:002010-09-07T15:06:35.798-05:00on the horizon 9-7-10Here's a brief explanation of why I'm looking forward to particular games.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><u>Halo: Reach</u></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/carnage-carnival-halo-reach/64756">This video</a> shows why. The most common failure of competitive multiplayer modes is a failure to separate people of different skill levels and, just as importantly, different goals. Some people play for the end results... stats, rankings, challenge completion, etc. Others, like me, play more for the experience itself... the grenade toss into a sniper perch, the point-blank shotgun blast that throws the enemy back, getting killed by your own sticky grenade as the enemy runs toward you. Players like me are less concerned with optimal loadouts and strategies because we prioritize fresh and compelling experiences over winning.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Halo: Reach</span> seems to address this through a refined matchmaking system that goes beyond soft separation and actually divides people into tiers. The fanatics and achievement junkies can have their tier and the "casual" players can have theirs. And, again -- just as importantly, the matchmaking system also asks preferences on Chattiness, Motivation, Teamwork and Tone.<br /><br />Customization is the other reason I'm interested.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><u>Fable 3</u></span><br /><br />I've recently been surprised at how replayable <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable 2</span> is. The humor, the joyful art style, the skill options and the moral options are all fun many months after my first (and second) playthrough.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Fable 3</span> seems to have made co-op actually enjoyable by enabling the use of player-developed characters and making the two players' cameras independent. But it's the single-player mode I'm mostly interested in. The weapons that morph depending on how you use them could be great. And I'm anxious to dive into the latter half of the game, which focuses on making decisions as ruler of Albion. Much will depend on whether the moral options are not so limited as to force us into decisions we don't agree with.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><u>Call of Duty: Black Ops</u></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Black Ops</span> is offering more customization, which is good. For the most part, I'm interested in this <span style="font-style: italic;">Call of Duty</span> for the same reasons I liked the last ones, despite the mediocre matchmaking and inexcusable frequency of connection troubles. I love earning new guns and upgrades, and doing so keeps gameplay fresh by encouraging me to change my loadout often.<br /><br />I was surprised to learn there will be a bot mode. I haven't heard anything about being able to invite another player to join the fight against bots, but it's a start. I'm still dumbfounded by the industry's failure to repeat <span style="font-style: italic;">Perfect Dark 64</span>'s brilliant bot mode. In the interview I saw, Treyarch's spokeman explained it as practice for people before they fight other players (it has a separate ranking system). I wonder sometimes if shooter developers think all shooter fans are achievement junkies like themselves. A bot mode doesn't have to be practice. Sometimes, even the most skilled players want a more relaxing game. And some players prefer more casual play all the time.<br /><br />Whatever the reasons, was <span style="font-style: italic;">Perfect Dark 64</span>'s bot mode not as popular as I think it was? Is popularity not why it was freshened up for re-release on Xbox Live? How many people downloaded <span style="font-style: italic;">Monday Night Combat</span> recently? There are obviously a lot of gamers who like playing against bots, so why not meet the demand and make a profit?<br /><br /><br />On my sidebar, you'll see a list of other games I'm hopeful for. Most won't be out until next year. I recommend taking a close look at <span style="font-style: italic;">Brink</span>.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-4432073080266828232010-08-17T17:49:00.002-05:002010-08-17T17:53:28.400-05:00miscellany 8/17/10It's been too long since my last post. Rather than my usual philosophy, how about a simple rundown on some games I've played over the past month?<br /><br />Currently, I'm creeping through a borrowed copy of <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Rainbow Six: Vegas 2</span>. I've only played the single-player campaign mode so far. It's a good tactical shooter, with more emphasis on action than strategy on the medium difficulty setting. I haven't played a <span style="font-style: italic;">Rainbow Six</span> since the first game, which required thorough planning before starting a mission. <span style="font-style: italic;">V<br /><br />egas 2</span> lets me jump right into the action. The level design is mostly linear, but there's a lot of freedom in weapon selection/customization and directing the AI companions (I often send them out as decoys, like the heartless commander that I am). When limited health means I have to replay a checkpoint several times, enemy actions are generally predictable, so I'm encouraged to try different strategies.<br /><br />I downloaded <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Deathspank</span> weeks ago, but didn't get far into it. I plan on playing more, but never feel in the mood. The heart of the game is its humor. The dialog is by turns hilarious and stupid, and sometimes both. But it's the item descriptions that I love most. The hack-and-slash gameplay is simple but well done. There's a good amount of choice in outfitting my character and use of weapons. One reason I decided to buy it is that it seems like the sort of game one of my non-gamer relatives could enjoy.<br /><br />I traded in <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Dragon Age: Origins</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span>after at least 20 hours of play. I came down a little harsh on <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect</span> <a href="http://hallower1980.blogspot.com/2007/11/mass-effect-initial-impressions.html"></a>years ago because I had expectations going in (expectations created by Bioware's marketing, mainly concerning exploration) that were not met. Since then, I've played through <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect</span> 1 and 2 more than a few times. They're good games. But I went into <span style="font-style: italic;">Dragon Age</span> after having ignored it for many months and remembering little other than that it's more focused on story than on action.<br /><br />Well, that last part's an understatement. The two words that best describe my experiences with <span style="font-style: italic;">Dragon Age</span> (as a male dwarf warrior untouchable and a female elf mage) are bland and tedious. The dialog drones on with a slew of uninteresting choices without even foreshadowing of lasting effect. Aside from the race backgrounds, the story strikes me as run-of-the-mill fantasy. The graphics are ugly and dated. As fervently and widely as the game has been praised, I have no doubt that the story improves further in and that I am simply not the sort of gamer <span style="font-style: italic;">Dragon Age</span> was designed for. Even so, I'm extremely skeptical of the extraordinarily high marks it has been given. I'm looking forward to <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect 3</span>, but not <span style="font-style: italic;">Dragon Age 2</span>.<br /><br />Then there's <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Crackdown 2</span>. It's difficult for me to come to a definite conclusion on that one, but I'll venture to say it's slightly better than the first <span style="font-style: italic;">Crackdown</span>. It's better in some ways and worse in others. I really miss the gang variety. That alone makes gameplay a bit redundant after a while. But additions like agility orbs and gliding are great, as is plowing through mutants with a vehicle at night. I haven't tried much co-op yet.<br /><br />What really makes the sequel stand out is multiplayer. <span style="font-style: italic;">Crackdown 2</span> has fragfests like you simply can't experience anywhere else. Once, I glided completely across a map to land on and crush an unsuspecting player, then shot the player who had been running toward him for a kill. It's blissful chaos. Half the time, a player is chasing another while being chased himself, then yet another player enters the fray from the side or above.<br /><br />I recently traded in five games to pick up four others, so I'll make another post like this soon. Honestly, I have more games right now that I can fully explore -- always a good thing!Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-81420305680509291212010-06-15T23:26:00.006-05:002010-06-15T23:46:44.318-05:00healing grenadesAs you might expect, I'm reading and watching a lot on E3 news. I might offer some impressions later. For now, I've got two words for you:<br /><br />healing grenades!<br /><br />Dynamics are the name of the game, so why not make healing a bit more interesting? Imagine a grenade or vial of healing potion that you must smash against the ground. Throw it down at your feet and it heals you. Throw it by some allies and all in the area of effect are healed. But throw it too close to an enemy... and your enemy is healed.<br /><br />This creates opportunities for many memorable moments. If your fellow player or AI companion is toe-to-toe with an enemy and hurting, you can try to aim your throw behind your ally so it heals him and not the enemy as well. If the fighters turn at just the wrong moment, you might heal the wrong person, or both of them, or neither. There might even be a possibility that the grenade can be batted while in the air... flying across the battlefield to land who knows where.<br /><br />Even more, healing grenades might react differently to different objects. They might burn particular enemies. They might explode when they touch a particular metal, hurting friends or foes alike. If two healing grenades hit one spot simultaneously, the healing effect might be exponentially increased.<br /><br />The basic idea is that, like the sticky grenade in <span style="font-style: italic;">Halo</span>, there are countless possibilities that make each counter feel fresh and potentially surprising. Healing grenades might not fit a particular game, but all games should include at least one dynamic like this.Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34126572.post-8829293549035007212010-06-12T09:10:00.005-05:002010-06-12T09:15:24.258-05:00digital dictionaryHow many word games exist today? Hundreds. Why do they all use different dictionaries?<br /><br />Is it really too much to ask that all developers use a common word bank?Aaron Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06397235341719388657noreply@blogger.com0